Architectural research

Architectural Institute of Korea (대한건축학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Adults' Formation of Sense of Community through Environmental Autobiography

  • Kim, Wonpil (School of Architecture, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)
  • Received : 2012.06.18
  • Accepted : 2012.10.07
  • Published : 2012.12.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

In contemporary Korean society, urban community environment is often associated with high-density and high-rise residences that make people's relationships superficial, instrumental and impersonal. Furthermore, urban community consistently interplays with neighboring residents and childhood emotional experience are influential on their unconscious images and attitude about their current neighborhood environment, while affecting the environmental attitude and the formation of community sense. Previous research found evidences that increased level of community sense is fostering more feeling of living in so-called "real neighborhood environment." This study aimed to cross-culturally examine what the respondents' emotional perception and their attitude were about the community environment in their childhood through environmental autobiography method and to examine the effects of the results on adults' formation of sense of community for their current community environment. Extensive literature review explored a few important theoretical framework which are closely related to sense of community (SOC) as a result of emotional experience: membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs, shared emotional connection and community satisfaction. Chi-square and GLM analysis revealed that there were no demographic, and socio-economic differences between two groups of Korean and US residents. Correlation analysis indicated that childhood emotional experience of Koreans and US citizens was statistically significant on sense of community for their current living community. Multi-regression analysis also found that the degree of influence were the main predictors for building strong sense of current community throughout a cross-cultural group. Furthermore, the relationship between various emotional experience of each factor in previous and current community environment were statistically significantly related. It is concluded that as the positive childhood experience of influence in their past community was going up, the level of sense of community for their current community was strengthened across their cross-cultural background.

Keywords

References

  1. Armstrong, D. (2000). A survey of community gardens in upstate New York: Implications for health promotion and community development. Health and Place, 6, 319-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1353-8292(00)00013-7
  2. Brooks-Gunn, J., Duncan, G., Klebanov, P., & Sealand, N. (1993). Do neighborhoods influence child and adolescent development? American Journal of Sociology, 99, 353-395. https://doi.org/10.1086/230268
  3. Choi, Y., & Kong, Y.K. (2007). The effects of site planning factors and residential dwellers characteristics on the sense of community against multi-family house. Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea, 23(5), 83-90.
  4. Coulton, C., Korbin, J. & Su, M. (1999). Neighborhood and child maltreatment: A multi-level study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 23(11), 1019-1040. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00076-9
  5. Chavis, D. M., Hogge, J. H., McMillan, D. W., & Wandersman, A. (1986). Sense of community through Brunswick's lens: A first look. Journal of Community Psychology, 14, 24-40. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1<24::AID-JCOP2290140104>3.0.CO;2-P
  6. Christens, B.D., & Speer, P.W. (2011). Contextual influences on participation in community organizing: A multilevel longitudinal study. American Journal of Community Psychology. 47, 253-263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-010-9393-y
  7. Dallago L, Perkins, D, Santinello, M, Boyce, W, et al. (2009). Adolescent Place Attachment, Social Capital, and Perceived Safety: A Comparison of 13 Countries. American Journal of Community Psychology, 44, 148-160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-009-9250-z
  8. Doolittle, R.J., & MacDonald D. (1978). Communication and a sense of community in a metropolitan neighborhood: A factor analytic examination. Communication Quarterly, 26, 2-7
  9. Ellaway et al., (2005). Graffiti, greenery and obesity in adults: secondery analysis of European cross section survey. BMJ, 331, 611-612. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38575.664549.F7
  10. Frankenberg, R. (1977). Communities in Britain: Social life in town and country, Middle Sex, England: Pengium Books.
  11. Glover, T. (2004). Social capital in the lived experiences of community gardens. Leisure Science, 26, 143-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400490432064
  12. Glynn, T.J. (1981). Psychological sense of community: Measurement and application. Human Relations, 34, 780-818.
  13. Hillery, G.A. (1955). Definitions of community: Areas of agreement. Rural Sociology, 20, 111-123.
  14. Hobfoll, S.E., Jackson, A., Hobfoll, I., Pierce, C.A., and Young, S. (2002). The impact of communal-Mastery versus Self- Mastery on Emotional Outcomes during stressful conditions: A prospective study of Native American Women. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(6), 853-871. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020209220214
  15. Hung, Y. (2004). East New York farms: Youth participation in community development and urban agriculture. Children, Youth and Environment, 14(1), 56-85.
  16. Jacobs, J. (1993). The death and life of great American cities. New York: Modern Library.
  17. Kim, W.P. (2010). Effects of childhood emotional experience in physical and social community environment on the formation of community sense. Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea, 26(3), 169-176.
  18. Kitchen, P., Williams, A., & Chowhan, J. (2012). Sense of community belong and health in Canada: A regional analysis. Social Indicators Research, 107(1), 103-126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9830-9
  19. Lee, K.M. (1988). A phenomenological approach to manenvironment relationship. Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea, 4(1), 35-45.
  20. Lee, R.Y., & Shin, N.S. (2009). A Study on the sense of community in apartment complex -focused on apartment complex in Gwangju metropolitan city. Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea, 25(3), 223-234.
  21. Long. D.A. & Perkins, D.D. (2007). Community social and place predictors of sense of community: a multilevel and longitudinal analysis. Journal of Community Psychology, 35(5), 563-581. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20165
  22. Mannarini, T., & Fedi, A. (2009). Multiple sense of community: the experience and meaning of community. Journal of Community Psychology, 37(2), 211-227. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20289
  23. Marcus, C.C. (1979). Environmental autobiography. Institute of Urban & Regional Development, Univ. of California.
  24. McMillan, D.W. (1996). Sense of Community. Journal of Community Psychology, 24(4),315-325. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6629(199610)24:4<315::AID-JCOP2>3.0.CO;2-T
  25. McMillan, D.W., & Chavis, D.M. (1986). Sense of Community: A Definition and Theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14, 6-23. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1<6::AID-JCOP2290140103>3.0.CO;2-I
  26. Ohmer, M.L., Meadowcroft P., & Freed, K., & Lewis. E. (2009). Community gardening and community development: Individual, social and community benefits of a community conservation program. Journal of Community Practice, 17, 377- 399. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705420903299961
  27. Ohmer, M.L. (2010). How theory and research inform citizen participation in poor communities: The ecological perspective and theories on self- and collective efficacy and sense of community. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911350903126999
  28. O'Brian, D. & Ayidiya, S. (1991). Neighborhood community and life satisfaction. Journal of the Community Development Society, 22, 21-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/15575339109489949
  29. Peterson, N.A., Speer, P.W., & Hughey, J., (2006). Measuring sense of community: A methodological interpretation of the factor structure debate. Journal of Community Psychology, 34(4), 453-469. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20109
  30. Plas, J & Lewis, S. (1996). Environmental factors and sense of community in a planned town, American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol. 24.
  31. Riger, S., LeBaily, R.K., & Gordon, M.T. (1981). Communities and urbanites' fear of crime: An ecological variations: An experimental approach. Sociometry, 167. 228-249.
  32. Sallis et al., (2004). Active transportation and physical activity: opportunities for collaboration on transportation and public health research. Transportation Research, 38, 249-268.
  33. Saldivar-Tanaka, L., & Krasny, M. (2004). Culturing community development, neighborhood open space, and civic agriculture: the case of Latino community gardens in New York City. Agriculture and Human Values, 21, 399-422. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:AHUM.0000047207.57128.a5
  34. Sarason, S.B. (1974). The psychological sense of community: Prospects for community psychology. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.
  35. Tapp, P. (2009). Place making as a sustainable strategy: Serenbe Community. SNUST International Symposium Proceedings.
  36. Taylor, R., & Covington, J. (1993). Community structural change and fear of crime. Social Problems, 40, 374-395. https://doi.org/10.2307/3096886
  37. Townley, G., Kloos, B., Green, E.P., & Franco, M.M. (2011). Reconcilable differences? Human diversity, cultural relativity, and sense of community. American Journal of Psychology, 47, 69-85.
  38. Unger, D.G., & Wandersman. (1982). A neighboring in an urban environment. American Journal of Community Psychology, 10, 493-509. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00894140
  39. Warner, B., & Pierce, G. (1993). Reexamining social disorganization theory using calls to the police as a measure of crime. Criminology Psychology, 18(1).
  40. Weidemann, S., & Anderson, J. R. (1985). Residents perceptions of satisfaction and safety: A basis for change in multifamily housing. Environment and Behavior, 14, 695-724.
  41. Wilcox, B.L. (1981). Social support, life stress, and psychological adjustment: A test of the buffering hypothesis. American Journal of Sociology, 9, 371-386.
  42. Wilkinson, D. (2007). The multidimensional nature of social cohesion: psychological sense of community, attraction, and neighboring. American Journal of Community Psychology, 40, 214-229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-007-9140-1
  43. Wilkinson, D. (2008). Individual and community factors affecting psychological sense of community, attraction, and neighboring in rural communities. Canadian Review of Sociology. 45(3), 305-329. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-618X.2008.00013.x
  44. Wikipedia. (2012).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community.
  45. Wood, L., Frank, L.D.,& Giles-Corti, B. (2010). Sense of community and its relationship with walking and neighborhood design. Social Science & Medicine, 70(9), 1381-1390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.01.021
  46. Zelinski, E.M., Dalton, S.E., & Hindin, S. (2011). Cognitive changes in healthy older adults. Journal of the American Society on Aging, 35(2), 13-20.

Cited by

  1. Effects of Physical Living Environment on the Social Interaction and Perceived Sense of Community among Students in University Dormitory vol.22, pp.5, 2015, https://doi.org/10.7859/kief.2015.22.5.003